


Uneasy Lies the Head

by Prrrrmm



Series: Thick as Thieves [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M, Past Abuse, Prince!Prompto, Queens thief Au, ill be adding tags as we go, part two y’all!!, polyship, thief!prompto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2020-07-31 13:03:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20115550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prrrrmm/pseuds/Prrrrmm
Summary: PART TWO OF COME WHAT SORROW- PLEASE READ THAT FIRST!!Prompto has a list of everything that sucks in his life right now - the war, Ardyn still being very much alive, and the fact that he had three people who loved him and isn’t sure if they still do due to problems 1 and 2. So he does what any rational person would do: he kidnaps the Princess of Tenebrae. Unfortunately for him, not everything unfolds the way he thinks it will.





	1. I think oh, how I miss that bright sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our story begins -again- and Loqi is Tired TM  
(please make sure you have read part one, Come What Sorrow, before you read this! <333

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOF HOWDY YALL  
IT'S BEEN A MINUTE  
I'm sorry for the delay in getting this out!! My dumb ass thought taking two math classes and a chemistry class during a summer semester was going to be really rad. It wasn't.   
Anyways! Here's the beginning of our part two!!  
Title comes from Spirits by The Strumberellas.  
Thank you so much Mils and Munchy! Ilu so much <333

Loqi wouldn’t say he was particularly a nice person, or even a good person, but nothing he’d ever done should have warranted a punishment like this. Sneaking around, trying to match the impossible silence of his charge before him? That wasn’t his forte. Slashing and creating a path for his charge? He could do that. But with every step through the Tenebrae palace, he was sure his heart would be heard over the distant rumble rolling through the halls. A boom shook the walls, and Prince Prompto flung a hand out to steady himself against Loqi. 

Shooting a wicked grin, he said, “That’ll be the _ Starscourge. _”

“You know, I take it back,” Loqi said, shaking Prompto off. “I know I said sulking didn’t look good on you, but gloating is worse.”

There was another crackling boom, more muffled. Fireworks this time. Prompto continued down the hall, his words almost too quiet to hear. “There really is no winning with you, is there?”

Huffing a sigh, Loqi shook his head. He had been given this mission by the queen herself - follow Prompto to the end of the world if need be, and protect him at all costs. If it wasn’t okay to let the enemy kill the prince, somehow he didn’t think he would be allowed to do so either. “When I said you could still be useful, this isn’t what I meant.” 

Waving a hand flippantly, Prompto stopped in front of a nondescript door. “I think blowing up Ardyn’s naval power is an excellent way to be useful.” 

Loqi looked around for guards. “Is this really it? Shouldn’t there be some kind of protection?”

Prompto tested the doorknob and the door swung open with ease. Frowning, he stepped inside. Loqi knew he was still there, but it was as if he had turned into shadow. From the doorway, he watched and waited.

There was no one in the room except for Prompto and the occupant of the small bed. The snap of a match being struck broke the silence, and the room was bathed in the flickering light as he lit the candle by the bed. The occupant of the bed didn’t stir until he shook her with a soft touch and a finger to his lips. 

Lunafreya woke with a start but stilled when she saw who was by her side. “Prompto?” Peering around until she saw Loqi at the door. “What are you two doing here?

Prompto’s smile sharpened in the flashes of light bursting through her windows. “I’m kidnapping the next queen of Tenebrae, of course.”

Another rumble, lingered in the air. Lunafreya slid from her bed, grabbing a robe to cover herself as she went to the window. “That isn’t fireworks, is it?”

“No,” he agreed. “There isn’t much to see from here though. You’ll need a view of the harbor.”

Awe and fear warred on her features. “Prompto, what have you done?” she whispered.

“Not much - yet. I still need to successfully kidnap you.” 

Another explosion split the air, and flashes of light stained the walls behind them. Shadows crawled, there and gone in a heartbeat, leaving Loqi feeling on edge. The halls remained clear of any guards, but he refused to let himself relax. 

“You planned this well,” Lunafreya said.

Prompto hummed in agreement and stood beside her. “I had to send someone else to light the fuses, but soon enough Ardyn will have nothing left.” 

Loqi stepped into the room. “Yes, and all the sailors are onshore celebrating the Navy Festival, hailing their superiority and control. He will have nothing. Now that we’ve covered the basics, can we _ please _ get out of here before we are caught?”

“That’s an exaggeration,” Prompto said. 

Ardyn’s best warships had been sitting in the harbor for the yearly festival, and without them, he would be incapable of the cowardly hit and run tactics he had been using for the better part of half a year. 

Tapping a nail against her bottom lip, Lunafreya asked, “How do you plan on getting me out without anyone seeing me? I am quite recognizable, despite living in disgrace.” 

“You aren’t in disgrace, he only wants you to feel like you have no power.” Pulling off the bag at his side, he continued. “I can steal anything, or anyone, even with his brand on me.” 

When he handed her a pair of trousers and a loose shirt, Lunafreya hesitated to take them. “I don’t like leaving my people behind, Prom.” 

“He is afraid of the power you wield, even unofficially,“ he said. “He will keep you in the dark and out of the spotlight until you fade away - or worse, he will decide waiting isn’t enough. There are plenty of ways to kill a princess without it looking like murder,” Prompto said. “I don’t want to lose you too.” 

Every second passing as she thought took another year taken off of Loqi’s lifespan. Fighting in a battle was far less anxiety-inducing than this. 

“I can only come with you if I know that you plan on dealing with him,” Luna said.  
“It’s not my place to,” Prompto replied, and Loqi hid a wince.

It was an argument they’d had many times. Out of anyone, Prompto had more motive to end Ardyn’s life and the war, but he refused. No one knew the reasoning behind it. He was as tight-lipped about it as he was anything involving the torture Ardyn had put him through. 

Lunafreya studied him and came to a decision. The men turned their backs to her as she dressed and hurried through the halls as she shoved her hair into a cap. 

They left through one of the smaller courtyards and slipped into the narrow streets. It was packed, festival goers and nightly ware merchants alike bustling in confusion as people began to realize the explosions along the harbor were not solely fireworks. Pulling Lunafreya by her hand, Prompto worked his way through the wagons and people. Behind them, Loqi muttered curses and pulled a hood on. Not many knew he had been a spy for Niflhiem while he worked here, but there were too many castle workers celebrating. They couldn’t risk anyone recognizing him. 

Lunafreya watched Prompto; as if to study him for some kind of weakness. 

“You won’t find anything,” Loqi murmured, bending to reach her ear. At her questioning gaze, he nodded at Prompto. “He didn’t break my prince. If anything, it’s made him stronger.” 

Stronger was not the word he would have used normally. The words usually used to describe Prompto were ‘pain in the ass’ and ‘reckless’, but he was speaking to a princess. 

Lunafreya gave a knowing smile . “It sounds as if you have quite a bit of respect for him.” 

“He has an annoying habit of taking those who hate every fiber of his being and becoming the best of friends with them,” Loqi replied, eyes studiously on Prompto’s back. They followed him without speaking and Loqi watched the crowd for anyone who may recognize them. 

“I’ve heard you treated him very poorly while you traveled. Did you not recognize him?” Lunafreya asked. 

Loqi laughed without humor. They were coming up on the wagon they would take back to Niffleheim and he knew Prompto would not like to speak of this. Another topic best avoided - the entire trip was often treated as if it had never happened. 

“Imagine, Your Highness, if you will - someone you know and have vowed loyalty to continually put himself in danger to do something that might have had a simpler solution. I had to treat him harshly so I didn’t blow my cover, had to see himself pretend to be a commoner and be treated badly for it.” He shook his head. “He had a reason I know, but I never liked it. It’s even harder now…” Loqi trailed off, unsure how much to say. 

He was saved by Prompto’s quiet, “Aha!”

Swinging himself up effortlessly onto their wagon, Prompto then turned to help Lunafreya. Loqi followed after. 

The man driving the wagon bowed his head to Prompto and Lunafreya. “I see you’ve collected your prize, Your Highness.”

Prompto locked eyes with Lunafreya. “I did indeed.” 

The wagon bounced down the road until dawn began to break. Pinks and blues brushed the sky as the sun rose, and the chill in the air promised to dissipate. It would be some time before they would warm up and Lunafreya sat as close to Prompto as she could. He had given her his cloak as soon as he had realized she was cold, and if he was affected by the cold he didn’t show it. He looked removed from the situation, his gaze somewhere only he could see. They stopped only once, to change from the wagon to riding chocobos, and there was little time to ask questions or breath to shout over the wind. 

They didn’t slow until they were riding across the bridge into the capital city. Dismounting the chocobos in the courtyard, Loqi stretched, glad to be home. Guards from the castle came to meet them and escort Lunafreya to her room. He would walk with Prompto until he was dismissed for the night. A shackle was what Prompto called him. He wasn’t wrong. Loqi wasn’t there to protect Prompto from enemies, he was there to protect Prompto from himself. 

Lunafreya crossed from her mount to Prompto’s side. “I know I agreed to come,” she said, “and I stand by that, but I wasn’t thinking of the repercussions. Until my mother passed, I was betrothed to Noctis, and Ardyn will surely blame him and abandon all subtlety to get me back.

Secretly Loqi agreed. This had been a risky mission, and he shuddered to think what would have happened if they had been caught. But they didn't, and they needed to think about what came next. 

Stretching out the kinks in his back, Prompto said, “He'll lose the faith of your people first. He's only acting as the king -you're the true heir to the throne and he's lucky the people haven’t revolted yet. But now that he’s failed to keep you safe, they’ll blame him and fight back.”

They were exhausted, worn thin, and it showed in the furrow of Lunafreya’s brows and the downward turn of her lips. “I will come back to ruin then.” 

Fixing her with a stare, he said, “I would have gladly shot Ardyn in his sleep, but leaving you to inherit a kingdom in the middle of a war is hardly fair.” 

“It doesn’t matter when I take the throne, I will still have to deal with whatever is left of his legacy.”

“What do you want me to do Luna?” Prompto sighed, and Loqi slid to his side. 

“I don’t know.”Lunafreya sounded resigned. 

Loqi cleared his throat as the guards approached. “We can figure it out once we get some rest, Your Highnesses.” 

When the guards led Lunafreya away to her room, she paused and turned back. “You’ve changed.”

Blinking in surprise, Prompto let out a soft exhale. “I have.”

There was a ruthless streak to him which had never been there before. Loqi knew nothing could erase what he had gone through in his life, but for all he hated the Lucians, he often found himself wishing they were there to help his prince. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP! There's that! I hope you guys enjoyed that!! I'll probably be bouncing between perspectives since all of our boys are split up, but we'll see hahah. Anyways! Hit that kudo button, comment and subscribe! and also maybe wish me luck - my chem final is tomorrow RIP


	2. The World Is Yours and You Can't Refuse It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choices to be made and gods to be met, Prompto never has it easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdyyyyy  
I just got back from my trip to D.C and then NYCC!! That was a RIDE YALL. Please imagine my painfully southern self in the hustle and bustle of New York. It was an eyeopener for sure. The number of people commenting on my accent or my southern-isms was... a lot haha   
Anyways, so I kind of plan on jumping the POV's in the chapters, and this one is from Prom's.   
Chapter title comes from the Lana song Love.   
Thank you to my favorite person in the world, my love, Mils. Ilu so much bean  
And thank you guys for your continual support <333

The afternoon sun was high, and Prompto’s bedroom was awash with brilliant light. Flecks of dust became falling gold, shimmering and dancing, and as he passed through them he wished they were tangible things he could hold. He would put them in a bottle and leave them on the shelf until he wanted to shake it and see them dance once more. It was nothing more than a childish dream distracting from more important things he needed to focus on. 

“You need sleep,” Loqi said from behind him.

Prompto lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. In the past few months, they had had this conversation more times than he could count. “So do you.”

“I slept on the way here.”

“Liar.” 

Prompto collapsed in his desk chair and stared at the paperwork he had left a few days before. Exhaustion pulled him one way, duty pulled him another. He wasn’t used to being awake in the middle of the day - there was a reason most of Niflheim didn’t realize they had a prince. Night was a thief’s time. Only recently did he step up to begin doing more ‘princely’ things. The paperwork was proof of his efforts. Before his trip with Noctis and the others, books and maps had littered his desk. Now, the expenses of their war covered it instead. “Go on to bed, I’ll head that way soon."

“I’ll hold you to that, sire,” Loqi replied, with a small bow.

Prompto released a heavy sigh as silence returned to the room. He stared at his desk for a moment longer, contemplating sleep before pushing away. Behind the heavy drapes near his bed was a small door. He doubted anyone much bigger than himself could fit through it , much less the small tunnel leading to the roof. Heights scared him, but he did his best thinking walking the ramparts. The wind buffeted him with every step as he tried to figure out his next move.

Luna would be essential to his plan - no matter what he chose, having her on his side meant Tenebrae would follow him as well. Stopping the war was paramount, but Prompto had no idea how to do it.

They had started  it over an injustice he didn’t agree with, though he understood the underlying reasons behind it. Aranea had needed to knock Ardyn down before he tried to claim her throne once more - he would be more desperate to do so now that his first plan had failed. 

Aranea wore the ring of Lucis around her neck, but Prompto would be happy if she chucked it into the ocean, never to be seen again. For such a little thing, it caused so much strife. 

Shoving the palms of his hands into his eyes, he settled down, feet dangling over the edge. 

“You know they are going to find out how you’re getting up here eventually, and then I’m going to have to order guards to stand up here all day and night to make sure you don’t come out here.”

Twisting around and dropping his hands into his lap, Prompto watched as his sister pulled herself through the small door. He gave a tired nod of his head and she returned it.

“I was hoping you would sleep some when you got back so I could do the same, but I guess that’s too much to ask for,” Aranea said, sitting behind him. She may trust him not to fall to his death, but he knew she didn’t have the same faith in herself.

“I don’t know how you knew I wasn’t asleep to begin with,” Prompto replied, kicking his feet idly. His boots bounced off the wall in time with his heart, slow and calm for once. 

“Loqi.”

“Ah.” 

“What next?” Aranea asked.

Prompto frowned. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I didn’t think past getting Luna here.”

She stared at him incredulously. “Your ability to do things and not think the whole thing through will never cease to amaze me.”

“I think some things through! Just… not this. I needed her to be safe.”

“You’re awfully adamant about someone you only met one time before kidnapping her.”

His feet stuttered to a stop, and he brought his knees to his chest. Looking over the far-stretching mountains, he allowed the peacefulness of a perfect fall afternoon wash over him. “You don’t need a reason to help people,” he said, softly. “You of all people should know.” 

Silence settled over them as they thought of their collective pasts. Clapping a hand on his shoulder, Aranea took her leave. “Get some rest.” 

Prompto sat on the ramparts until the sun began to set and stars, one by one, began winking into existence. 

A soft shift of fabric from behind pulled a low sigh from him. “Shiva,” he said as a way of greeting. 

She made no move, and Prompto turned to face her. She was in her Gentiana form but his eyes still slid off her as if even this was made of ice. 

“You’ve taken Lunafreya. What now?” At Prompto’s shrug, she tilted her head. “Why do you deny what the gods want you to do?”

Fury stirred unwelcome in his chest and he hopped up to take a step towards her. “Why are the gods so interested in my life? Huh? How come I can’t live the way I want to?”

“And are you living the way you want to? We want the same thing, do we not?”

The anger simmered down, leaving him tired. “I don’t want it like this - not if it’s only because we have no choice. I don’t even know if Noctis would want it either.” Even speaking his name brought a stab of sadness to his heart. “He hasn’t written to me since I left Lucis. Ignis did once, asking me to beg Aranea to call off the war, like I have any say  so in that. But Gladio hasn’t written either. The only contact from the outside world I get is Luna.” 

Deflating, Prompto sank to his knees and rubbed his wrist. “I’ve been marked a traitor, and if anyone finds out then I would be an outcast. Everything I do for my kingdom could be my last. And you want me to… do  _ that _ .”

“Yes.” 

A bitter laugh tore it’s way out of his mouth, burning his throat as it came. “It’s not easy for us humans. I’m not like you, my life is a blink of an eye to you. Everything I decide has to count for something, or I’ve wasted everything I’ve ever been given.”

A cool hand caressed his face and he  flinched as she b rushed away a tear. “You’ve grown so much, little Prince. One day you will be king, even if you can’t see it now. You only have to claim it.”

Prompto didn’t answer, and more tears threatened to spill as he looked down. 

“Go to bed,” Shiva said, and then she was gone. 

He listened, and with a weary soul, climbed into bed. No dreams came to him, and when he woke, he wondered if it was Shiva’s influence or another god looking out for him. 

Loqi was sitting at his desk with a small book in his hand. Prompto watched as he  read, turning the pages gently. He thought of Gladio, reading in the inns and in Wiz’s home. Loneliness tugged sharply at his heart and he blinked away tears. 

“I didn’t know you could read,” he said, pushing away thoughts he’d rather not think of. 

Snorting, Loqi closed his book. “And I didn’t know you knew how to follow directions.” 

“I am a humble servant to my country. Following orders is what I do best,” Prompto replied, rolling out of his bed. Padding to his wardrobe, he ruffled his hair and hoped his bed head was tame enough for the day. 

“You missed breakfast.” 

“I usually do.” 

Loqi watched in amusement as Prompto smooth his hair down. “The Queen has expressed her displeasure of you stealing from the kitchens on multiple occasions. You could try and get up early enough to join them for breakfast so you didn’t have to get scolded.” 

Shrugging out of his clothes, Prompto threw on whatever was closest to him - two-day-old pants and yesterday’s shirt. There was no shyness between them, Loqi had seen every scar and had been the cause of a few of them. Prompto had long ago forgiven him for them, he understood the reason behind the path Loqi had taken to keep his secret safe. 

“Where are we going today?” Loqi asked.

“ _ I  _ am going somewhere to be alone. I need to think.”

“You can think with me right behind you. I’ve seen you do it once or twice.”

“That was only because I was thinking of how best to get rid of you,” Prompto quipped, turning back with a grin.

He was joking of course; despite everything they had been through on their journey - or perhaps because of it - Loqi was one of his closest confidants these days, Aranea aside. Prompto had only told them what had happened in Ardyn’s hands once, and since then he hadn't opened up about it again. He never planned to. 

Rubbing a finger along his barcode, he debated a bracelet. It usually did the trick to hide the tattoo well, but it had been getting colder and the metal wasn’t comfortable after an entire day. Loqi’s eyes shot to his wrist before flicking back to his face. They didn’t speak, but the air grew heavy with tension and Prompto turned away. Deciding on gloves, he pulled them on and asked, “Is Luna up?”

“Lady Lunafreya had breakfast with the Queen and is now resting in her room.” 

“Is it pointless to say you can have the day off?” Prompto asked, already walking out of the room. 

Loqi followed with an easy smile. “Yes, it is.”

He did give them privacy when Prompto walked into Luna’s room unannounced and flopped on her couch. Loqi stood outside the door, but not before he pointed a finger at Prompto with a stern warning not to sneak off.

“Where could he go? There is only the door and window, Sir Loqi,” Luna said laughing. “What trouble could he get into?”

“That’s if there aren’t any secret doors we don’t know about,” Loqi replied.

“I’m a little insulted that you forget how formidable of a climber I am. A window is of no consequence to me,” Prompto said, settling deeper into the mound of pillows he had nested in.

Loqi peered at him from the doorway, faux confusion furrowing his eyebrows. “You are using some very big words, my Prince. Are you feeling well?”

Prompto threw a pillow and it missed Loqi by only a hair as he whipped out of the doorway with a laugh. 

Luna laughed with him, then quieted as she smiled fondly at Prompto. “I was very surprised to see you.”

“I live here,” Prompto said, staring at the ceiling. 

“You know what I mean,” Luna laughed. “Imagine my surprise! You came for a visit only two months ago, our very first time meeting face to face after so many years of writing and then the next visit is a kidnapping.”

“I’m sorry,” Prompto said.

Luna laughed again, “No you’re not - you enjoy this.I’m glad though.” She sobered. “I’ve thought about it, and you’re right. I think when it is time to crush Ardyn, he will get desperate. My life would have been forfeited without thought. He has the mentality of someone who says, “If I cannot have this, no one can”, and that worries me.” She tapped her pen on the wood of the desk thoughtfully before sighing. 

Prompto turned his head to look at her. She seemed very at home at the writing desk. “What are you doing?” 

“I’m writing to Noctis. I know I can’t send anything or else it could be intercepted, but it’s been some time since I was able to send anything at all. Perhaps, if you were able to sneak it to him?” She blinked, her eyes wide and innocent.

“I haven’t been to Lucis in a long time. I don’t know the way anymore,” Prompto said, pushing himself up.

“You haven’t written to Noctis or the others at all?” Luna asked, her eyebrows rising and her fake surprise doing nothing to help his growing irritation. 

“You could just say you talked to Loqi, and stop pretending not to know,” Prompto snapped and instantly regretted the words as hot shame flashed through him. Luna didn’t deserve to be yelled at. “Luna, I’m sorr-”

“Will you tell me why you haven’t written to them then? Because I thought you said you loved them,” Luna said, leaning forward at her desk. 

“Yeah, once,” Prompto said, rubbing his wrist through his glove. “You wanna know why I haven’t written to them? Because every letter I’ve ever sent has never gotten a response. It’s been months and I only got one letter and it was to basically yell at me for the war. They don’t care about me Luna, they never did. They don’t want  _ this. _ ” Shaking, Prompto closed his eyes and clamped his hand over the barcode. “I’m sorry, I’ll see you at dinner.” 

Rushing from the room, he ignored Luna as she pushed away from her desk and called after him. He left the palace by way of a tiny door hidden away in a stone wall. It let him out onto a grass-covered hill. The grass was stiff - fall was truly here, and winter not far off. Following the path of stones leading down the temple, he tried to remember the last time he had been in there. He hadn’t been back since returning from Lucis, which meant his last dedication was for a safe journey. Prompto snorted; a fat lot of luck that did him. But, still, since returning, he hadn’t been. Why should he when Shiva came to see him regardless of where he was?

It wasn’t guidance he sought through visiting the temple, it was solitude. He went through the main doors, large intricately carved and beautiful things. Once, when he had first come to the palace, he had touched the doors in awe, surprised that humans like him were capable of creating something so amazing. 

It was colder here and he shivered. Wrapping his arms around himself, Prompto wrapped his arms around himself and wandered through the temple liking the little pats of sound from his footsteps echoing. His steps were quiet from habit, but here, everything seemed laid bare for the gods. The temple was deserted today and undisturbed he walked to a small alcove. There was a smaller altar dedicated to the god of thieves, and he cast a look behind him before sweeping the altar free of past dedications. He didn't knock them to the floor, though the idea crossed his mind. 

“Why do you never talk to me? Why do I gotta listen to Shiva all the time? Is she the only one up there?” he muttered to the statue of the god as he jumped onto the altar. There was a curtain to provide privacy to those who would pray, and Prompto flicked it shut. Lifting his legs out of sight of any casual glance under the curtain, he wrapped his arms around his knees. Tilting his head back against the marble wall, he closed his eyes with a heavy sigh.

The stars were bright when Prompto picked his way carefully up the hill. Shivering in the cold air, he wished he had thought to grab a cloak when he fled the palace that morning. He passed no one on the way back to his room, but the library doors were open and light from his fireplace flickered in the darkened room. Pausing, he watched the shadows and wondered who would step out of them if he stared long enough.

“Prompto?”

Luna’s voice drifted from his room, and he dutifully followed it. She and his sister sat in his armchairs by the fireplace and they watched him enter; Luna with concern, and Aranea with an arched eyebrow. He didn’t know how to interpret her expression. 

“I was in the temple,” he said, settling down before the fire, the warmth sinking in. He pillowed his head into his arms and closed his eyes. 

“We know,” Luna replied.

“We could hardly drag you out for dinner without risking Shiva’s wrath,” Aranea tacked on. 

Shame flooded Prompto’s cheeks and he was glad his face was buried. “Sorry I missed it. And sorry for running away earlier. That wasn’t cool of me.”

“No,” Luna said with a laugh, “it wasn’t. But I forgive you. I’m sorry for pressing you. I see now you aren’t ready to deal with the trauma you’ve endured-” Prompto tensed, and she quickly continued. “That’s okay. One day you’ll be ready, but please know I stand by your side in all things. I know your sister does as well, and though you haven’t heard from them; Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus are as well. I’m sure there is a reason they haven’t sent you a letter…” 

She trailed off, and in all the years they had written to each other, Prompto had never known Luna to be unsure. In her letters, she always held a sense of composure and assuredness he envied. But now, her voice wavered as she tried to understand why Noctis would abandon someone he called a friend - someone he loved.

“Cowardice has its own reward,” Aranea said, and he wasn’t sure if she was talking about the way he fled to the temple or about his refusal to speak of what had happened.

“More than you think. Carbuncle came to me,” Prompto said.

He heard the shift behind him and when Aranea sat beside him, he turned and laid his head in her lap.

“Carbuncle,” she said dryly, but he could hear the underlying curiosity. “As in the god of messages and protector of dreams? And your reaction is to come sauntering in and casually mention it?” She waved a hand over how he lay. 

Prompto snorted. “I assure you, I’m too tired right now to really show the shock I felt when he suddenly jumped in my lap earlier.” 

“He jumped in your lap?” Luna asked, her voice strangled.

Nodding, he said, “I know right? An almighty god and he wanted his ears scratched.” 

“So he really is-?”

“Just a pretty cute fox of some kind. But he did have a message for me.”

Aranea and Luna were silent. He had told them both how his dreams were frequented by Shiva’s unending messages and advice, and Aranea had come into his room only seconds after  she had left once. There had still been ice on his table where Shiva had set her hand, and with the wide-eyed look Aranea had given him, he knew she finally believed him. 

“Stop whining.” 

Aranea’s expressions shifted from curiosity to puzzled. “What?”

“Well, not exactly that, he was pretty sweet actually. He let me cry on him for a bit so that was good. But then he said, ‘Crying is good, but you still have to decide what to do. If you spend all your time crying, then soon the world will drown and you’ll have more problems’, so basically, the gods told me - me among mortal men, not a king or someone in need of real advice, they took the time to tell me to suck it up and stop whining. That’ll teach me to stop hiding in temples and challenging the gods to come talk to me, I guess.” 

“Prom-”

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “I thought I was doing well, but everywhere I look there’s someone or some god telling me I’m not doing good at all. There’s a choice I gotta make and I don’t like either answer.” 

Aranea shook him gently. “You’ve been hiding out in your rooms for months. You only came out to kidnap Lady Lunafreya - and honestly, I’m not sure if I’m offended or not. Is my company really that bad?”

“You know it’s not,” Prompto replied. 

Clearing her throat delicately, Luna interjected, “May I ask what this choice is?”

He didn’t answer for a few moments. The popping of the fireplace was loud and he rolled out of Aranea’s lap to shift against the heated stones beside the fireplace. Pulling his knees to his chest he mumbled, “There’s a way to bring peace between us and Noct, and Shiva says it’s what the gods want. She said Noct wants it too, but I don’t know. Like, how can I ask him? And the other choice is to just do nothing and let things play out. Both choices are shit you know?”

“I think you know what you have to do, you’re just scared,” Aranea said. 

Prompto barked a laugh, harsh and bitter. “You got me there.” Pushing himself up, he said, “Hiding away from the world is surprisingly exhausting. If you don’t mind, I’m going to head to bed now.” 

Luna stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I know whatever you decide, you’ll do the right thing.”

He gave her a small smile and waited until they were gone. Rushing to his wardrobe he grabbed an armful of clothes and a bag. He wouldn’t be gone long, just long enough to get to Lucis and back. 

“You couldn’t wait until morning to leave?” Loqi leaned on his door frame watching his frenzied movements. 

“Why do you care?” Prompto asked, shoving another shirt in his bag.

“Well, I  _ had _ hoped for another full night of rest before going off on another night adventure, but I suppose that’s too much to ask for.”

Huffing a laugh, Prompto slung his bag on. “What makes you think you’re coming with me?”

“Because I would follow you to hell and back, my lord.”

Prompto smiled, slow and true. “Thank you. I don’t deserve a friend like you.”

Loqi stepped aside to allow him to walk past before picking up his own bag hidden in the shadows. “No, you don’t. Now, where are we going this time?”

His smile dropped and Prompto said, “We are playing matchmaker with the king of Lucis.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be from Noct's pov!! I'm pretty excited about that tbh~  
I hope y'all enjoyed it!! Please subscribe, kudo, comment or whatever is your cup of tea!!   
Till next time!


	3. We're Just a Couple of Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hard when you knew something was coming but suddenly it's there and you're maybe just a little bit still hung up on someone you thought cared about you as much as you cared for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdyyy, sorry for the long delay yall. Between mental and physical health problems this chapter has been staring at me for months begging to be finished. But here we are! This chapter is from Noct's perspective which was a bit of a challenge, but pretty fun regardless. Enjoy~

Noctis wore his father's crown. It wasn’t his, and he felt as if it never would be. He was filling in for someone who would never be back - a large king-shaped hole - and everyone else knew it too. No one had said anything, but Noctis could feel eyes on him at all times. It was judgment, vicious stares of pity and concern. Not for him, but for what he could do wrong. 

They were in the middle of a war and his mind was too full of everything but the one thing he really wanted to think about - Prompto. Rather,  _ Prince Prompto.  _ He had to continually make the correction. Finding out the truth had been a slap in the face - another shock in a week full whiplash news. He wasn’t sure why Prompto’s betrayal hurt so much, but it did. 

Maybe it was all the things they had said - all the times they had talked about the country and wondering about their defenses. They had talked about the flaws of Niflheim and Prompto had just sat there and listened! 

Noctis wasn’t angry, but he  _ was _ mortified. What did Prompto really think of them? Had he sat there listening with his head tilted like a chocobo because he was secretly furious with all of them, or was he genuinely interested in hearing what others thought of his country? 

Groaning, Noctis dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his palms into his eyes. 

“Sire?”

Lifting his head once more, Noctis caught the eye of his newly appointed Minister of War. “I’m fine, Cor. Please, continue.” 

They had been in a meeting since after breakfast and Noctis felt brain dead. No time to think, no time to sort through his feelings either. Voices picked up around him once more, palpable anxiety in the air. News had come that morning of Tenebrea’s naval force destroyed by unknown means. Lunafreya was missing and no one had heard from Niflheim since the attack. 

Noctis made eye contact with Ignis and saw a few sheets of notes, written neatly so he could look over them later when his focus was better. Sending Ignis a grateful look, he then glanced down at his own sheet of notes. He had written nothing today. 

He never expected to take over the throne so soon and wished he had paid better attention to the way his father ruled. He wondered how Prompto handled his duties… Did he think Noctis was a poor ruler? 

Shaking his head he stood. Confused, the other men in the room stood with him. “Let us reconvene after some lunch. Ignis, Gladio, please have my food delivered to my room.” The formal words flowed easily from years of practice, but they felt spoiled on his tongue - like he was pretending to be educated, assured, in charge. 

They nodded and followed him out the door. The other councilmen stayed behind to chatter and Noctis was glad for the chance to breathe. 

“Surely it’s not the war causing you to be so melodramatic?” Ignis asked, diplomatically. 

Noctis glared, then dropped it with a resigned sigh. “I’m thinking about Luna, I hope she’s safe. I’m also thinking of Prompto.” He saw the way they glanced at each other and frustration bubbled below the surface of his skin. It took all he could not to grip his arms and storm off. 

Gladio looked stricken, but he said, none too gently, “The war is a little more important than-”

“Than the prince of the kingdom we are at war with?” Noctis replied with little heat. He was tired of this conversation already. They were going in circles, as they did every time Prompto came up. 

“I would agree that that is a worthy thing to worry about, but you’re thinking of him as Prompto and not  _ Prince  _ Prompto,” Ignis said. 

Noctis shook his head, more to dispel the cloud of gloom which had settled over him rather than to disagree. Ignis understood and put a hand on his shoulder. 

“We’ll be back with food in a moment.” With a small bow, they walked away. 

The guard outside his room bowed low, “No one has been by since you left, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Ceil. When Ignis and Gladio return, you may report to your captain and tell him to send your replacement. I”m sure you’re hungry as well,” Noctis replied, hand on his door. 

For a moment, there was an overwhelming urge to turn the other way and run as fast as he could. He wondered if he could find a hiding spot, somewhere to curl up and let the world pass him by. With a sigh, he pushed the door. It wasn’t the room he had grown up in. Rather, as soon as he had been hastily coronated, he had been moved across the palace to his father’s room. 

It was always left untouched by his decree - Ignis could clean it better than anyone else and Noctis wasn’t in there enough to dirty it. His desk sat looming in front of a window and-

He froze.

Perched on the windowsill, was Prompto, one of Noctis’s books in hand. He was flipping through it idly, and he didn’t look up when Noctis entered the room, though he knew with Prompto’s sharp hearing he would have known Noctis was coming. His face was turned towards the courtyard below, but Noctis would recognize the curve of his cheek anywhere. 

“Prom-  _ Prince _ Prompto, what…?” Voice dropped into a hissed whisper, Noctis stepped into the room and closed the door before Ceil could hear or see. “What are you doing here?” 

Closing the book, Prompto turned to look at him. The last time Noctis had seen him, his hair had been long and tied up in a piece of twine stolen from Ignis. His hair now was short, cut so it lay softly across his face. 

The sunlight in the room allowed neither of them to hide anything from each other, and Noctis knew he looked tired. But so did Prompto. Noctis was tired under the weight up of his new role, but Prompto swayed on his feet, the darkness under his eyes bruised purple. He looked… older. Where was the quirk of his lips? The mischievous look in his eyes? 

“You didn’t answer my letters. I thought if I needed an answer, the best way to get it was to come in person.” 

Noctis stepped forward, his heart hammering in his chest. “I did answer your letters, we all did.” A thousand questions sprang to his lips, dying only when he saw the slump in Prompto’s shoulders. 

His face scrunched up, before shuttering into a cool mask. “I see...”

“My Prince?” Loqi stepped from the shadows, and Noctis jumped - his heart hammering in the realization that he could have easily been killed. He was so wrapped up in Prompto he hadn’t realized the other person was in the room with them. It made sense Loqi would be with him though - a prince couldn’t waltz into a foreign land without someone to watch his back. 

“I’m fine, I just... “ Prompto laughed and shook his head. “I’ll deal with it when we get back.” 

Noctis stepped forward again, reaching out a hand, heart still pounding. “Prompto - We- I, How? Are you okay? What have you been up to?” 

Loqi stepped smoothly between them, his eyes burning. His voice was like steel when he spoke. “You may be a king but I’m going to ask that you do not touch my prince.” 

Prompto touched his back silently and Loqi stepped away, his eyes still fixed on Noctis. It hurt because he knew Loqi blamed him for everything that had happened. It hurt more that he knew it was true. 

“I came because Niflheim has a proposition for the country of Lucis,” Prompto said, stepping away from the window. 

“A proposition?” Noctis echoed, dumbly, tearing his eyes away from Loqi’s. “We should wait until Ignis and Gladio get here. They will want to see you too.”

“No,” Prompto said, pacing with a shake of his head. “I have to leave. I don’t have the time. I need to take care of things.” 

“Prompto-”

“There is a way to end this war with Niflheim,” Prompto interrupted. “Join our countries.”

Noctis froze, mind racing only to stutter to a stop. “I’m sorry, what?”

Running his fingers over the binding and thick pages, Prompto said, “I wanna believe that you’re not my country’s enemy. I know things turned out horribly, and a lot of it is my fault-”

“What? No?” Noctis interrupted, shaking his head. “You were literally imprisoned and tortured-”

“I don’t want to talk about that,” Prompto said, voice tight. “Please.” 

Noctis nodded once, words drying in his mouth. “Okay, so how do we fix this mess?”

“The easiest way to end a war is a wedding, but that’s just me,” Prompto replied, shrugging despite the obvious tension in his shoulders. 

“My country married to yours?”

“Lucis is strong, but it can’t hold out against a country it doesn’t know. Not with winter coming. You’ll waste supplies and men trying to climb the mountains, and you won’t have anything to show for it,” Prompto said. 

Noctis sat heavily on his bed, running his fingers through his hair. From one meeting to another, he didn’t know where to turn. “You want me to give up my sovereignty to the Queen?”

“I would never ask that.”

“Then what Prompto? Are you going to pull another identity out to show everyone? Surprise us with your diplomatic skills? Are we going to find out you’re not really a prince but a god now?” Noctis snapped, frustration pulling him thin and tired. He regretted the words instantly, but the damage was done. Prompto’s face shuttered and Loqi stepped forward once again to place himself between them. 

“I won’t say sorry for what I did. There’s a lot of things I can apologize for, but trying to save my country isn’t one of them. I’ve made my offer, Noctis. Think it over and I’ll be back in a few days.” He pulled a letter from his pocket and placed it on Noctis’s desk. Then he pulled a smaller letter out. “This is from Luna.” 

Noctis stared as Loqi hopped up on his windowsill, eyes watching the ground below. With a grunt, he flung himself over the side and was gone. Prompto paused with his foot on the sill. His eyes narrowed and he looked down, not meeting Noctis’s gaze. 

“I’m sorry about your dad, I know he meant the world to you. I hope… I hope we can come together to destroy the bastard that took everything from us,” Prompto said, softly, his hand coming to grip his wrist. Then he was gone, like a shadow passing on a sunny day. The only trace he had been there at all was the heavy letter on Noctis’s desk. 

Noctis stared at the smooth, pale skin on his wrist - knowing what was now hiding on Prompto’s and that, for over a month, someone he loved had been subjected to torture in those dungeons. 

They had lost so much, and as much as he wanted to put the entire blame on Ardyn, there was a part of him that knew he couldn’t. 

The letter was still sitting on his desk when Ignis and Gladio entered. 

“Noctis?” Ignis asked, moving closer and only stopping when he saw the letter. He set the plate of food he carried aside. “What is this?”

Gladio picked it up curiously, flipping it over for any clues to who left it. 

“It’s a peace treaty - of sorts. I haven’t looked at it.” Noctis took a steadying breath and leaned forward. “It’s from Prompto. The other is apparently from Luna, I didn’t know they were close. I guess she’s safe then.” 

Both heads snapped towards him, then back down to the letters. “As in, he sent it or he came to deliver it personally?” Gladio asked. 

“He came. Said he wanted an answer he could get in person. I don’t think he’s been getting our letters,” Noctis replied rubbing his face. “I… said some awful things to him.” He felt rather than saw the look Ignis and Gladio exchanged. 

“I’m sure he knows you don’t mean them,” Ignis said, soothingly, as he settled by his side. 

“Doesn’t change the fact that I still said it,” Noctis replied.

Gladio held up the letter from Prompto, ignoring the one from Luna for now. “Let’s look at this and then decide how we want to respond. I’m sure we can fit some groveling in there somewhere.” 

Noctis cracked a small smile and nodded. “Alright.” He took the letter, his hands shaking. Opening it carefully, they craned their necks to read over each other. The handwriting was unmistakably Prompto’s, quick and hurried like he had done it as a last minute thought. 

_ Noctis Lucis Caelum, King and Ruler of Lucis, _

_ This isn’t as formal as it should be, but hopefully, this will be expanded on later and this letter won’t matter. Niflheim is extending her hand in a peace offering to end the war between our two kingdoms. Instead, we will combine our countries to turn against the country of Tenebrae to put the true queen, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, on the throne. In return, the King of Lucis must marry into the royal family of Niflheim. As Queen Aranea refuses to give over her sovereignty to any country or man, Niflheim will give their prince as a replacement.  _

_ Prince Prompto  _

Noctis read the letter, and then again. The words made sense but he didn’t understand. They didn’t feel real. 

“What… the fuck,” he whispered, breaking the silence. “This doesn’t even sound like him.”

Ignis raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you have a problem with? Not the fact that Niflheim wants you to marry?”

“How would that even work?” Gladio asked, pulling the letter from Noctis’s hand and scanning it once more. “Prompto wrote you a letter to ask you to marry him. Why couldn’t he just go through the normal channels and meet with us?”

“I don’t think he wanted to see us…” Noctis said, absently, mind still spiraling, “He left pretty quickly.”

“Is he going back to Niflheim?” Ignis asked.

Noctis shook his head, “I’m not sure. He said he’d be back in a few days though.”

Ignis stood and took the letter from Gladio. “Then we had better get this to the council. We don’t have much time to deliberate.” 

  
  


Later, after hours of deliberation and half formed ideas, Ignis, Gladio, and Noctis retired to his room. Gladio tugged out of his clothes, letting them fall to the floor as he collapsed into the bed. With a sigh, Ignis collected the clothes, setting them on a plush chair before shedding his own. Normally, Noctis would have been first in bed, but his eyes caught the other letter on his desk. 

Sinking into his desk chair, he picked the letter up and noticed it didn’t have her usual seal on it. Curiously he flicked the letter open and started to read, his eyes growing wide as he did. 

_ My dearest Noctis, _

_ Do you remember when we were children and we loved the stories of the daring knights who rescued the princess? The memory came back to me sometime yesterday as I bounced along an unfamiliar road, leaving behind all I’ve ever known.  _

_ My rescue was not at all like the stories though. I’m sure by now you’ve heard of what happened to Ardyn’s ships - believe it or not, that was all Prompto. He’s become quite ruthless lately. He has a million plans up his sleeves and I’m not sure any one of them takes his own safety into account. I think at this point, he’s willing to do anything to end the war. All but one thing. Noctis, I think… and I may be reaching here, but when I asked him why he did not kill Ardyn himself, he said it wasn’t his place. I think he wants to leave it for you. In a letter to me, he once said that no matter what he went through at Ardyn’s hands, it is nothing compared to you losing your father. There was nothing he could do, but he blames himself every day. He says now that you never write to him, but I know that’s not true. I will ask the Queen about it tomorrow.  _

_ I’m sure you can tell I am in Niflheim - Prompto’s plan to keep me safe as the war continues. I’ve always known he was smart, but to see it in person has been different from anything I could have ever imagined. I trust him, but I feel that I share the same fear as Queen Aranea and many of the people close to Prompto here. I said before that he was more ruthless than he used to be, but really I think it’s loneliness sharpening him into something more deadly than a knife. I don’t know how to explain it other than he cuts himself more than he cuts others. He loves you, and he loves Ignis and Gladio. I don’t think he knows what to do with his feelings. I can only hope that as the war ends, we can come together and sort this out. My wish is to see the love my friends have for each other grow. If we cannot find a way to end this war, our lands will die and we will dissolve as countries.  _

_ Oh, I seem to have gotten carried away. I don’t know if you can respond… In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t, but I hope you are well and that your duties aren’t too stressful. I know they are, how can they not be, but please lean on those around you.  _

_ You are loved and cherished, Noctis. Don’t forget that. _

_ Luna _

With a sigh, Noctis set the letter down. His head swam with words and crumbling ideas. But through Lunafreya’s words, Noctis made up his mind. Carrying the letter to bed, he climbed between Ignis and Gladio still fully dressed. Before Ignis could say anything about it, Noctis handed him Lunafreya’s letter. 

After both Gladio and Ignis read, he took the letter back and tucked it close to his chest. Closing his eyes, he sighed once more. “I think… I think I’m getting married.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys have been doing well! Does anyone have good news, a book they've been reading, or a fun story they'd like to share...? I'm needing some kind of pick me up today haha


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